Community Corner

Thanksgiving at Don Giovanni (Video)

Did you stop by for food? Share your thoughts!

For the last 23 years, Ristorante Don Giovanni owner John Akkaya has served free meals on Thanksgiving Day to anyone who walks in the door of one of his restaurants.

In Mountain View, were he's hosted the dinner since 1997, all of the restaurants workers volunteers their time as do students from St. Francis High School, who bring to diners of all economic status a meal of mash potatoes, squash, sweet potatoes, stuffing and turkey

Akkaya told Patch that for the 2012 event they cooked up 126 turkeys to feed the nearly 1,500 people who dine there each year.

Find out what's happening in Mountain Viewwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

As patrons walked out, they directed many 'Thank you's' and 'God bless you' directed at Akkaya, who also posed for many photographs.

Have you eaten there before? What do you think for what Akkaya does? Of the volunteers? Of the food? Tell us in comments.

Find out what's happening in Mountain Viewwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


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